1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a pivot assembly mold, and more particularly to a mold enabling an improved and more economical method for forming and attaching a freely rotatable handle to an article and/or the more economical article created thereby.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Pivot assemblies for pails, as for example, used in the paint industry and the like usually include a wire handle or bail having bent ends for receipt in the recesses of a pair of metal ears attached to the wall of a metal pail.
This arrangement suffers from the need to attach the ears to the annular metal wall of the pail, and then to assemble the wire bail to the ears. There are economic defects in this arrangement, since the expense of attaching the ears and assembling the bail represents a significant portion of the pail cost.
In the case of inexpensive, light duty plastic pails, ears are formed simultaneously with the molding of the pail, but the handle or bail must still be formed and attached in separate steps or operations, since no economically viable technique has heretofore been developed for enabling a mold part forming the bearing surfaces between the pail and handle to be withdrawn, while retaining the bail attached or assembled to the pail.
Attempts have been made to sidestep the problem of forming the bearing surfaces in the case of relatively expensive, heavy duty plastic pails for use in the paint industry by simultaneously molding a plastic pail and bail in integrally formed and attached relationship. The bail is pivotable only through a limited angle, since the integral connection restrains the relative movement. As may be appreciated, this creates inconvenience in use, while the weight of the pail and its contents places severe stress on the integral connection. The result is that while some economies are offered in the fabrication of the pail, this type of integrally molded pail and bail does not provide practical, convenient carrying and stacking properties, and accordingly has not received universal acceptance.